Acquiescence of Fate
by Back in Hiding
Summary: What caused caused Peter to betray? Follows Peter through his years at Hogwarts as one of the Marauders and continues until the fatal turn... Coincides with the story of James and Lily, as well as the other Marauders.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own none of the following except the plot.**

**Author's note: Enjoy! I would like to thank my new beta, Myrtle Riddle. She's responsible for correcting by British. **

**Note on genre: This story is a mixture of a lot of genres (mostly MWPP, humor, romance, and drama); for each chapter I will use the genre that I think will best illustrate my point. Here I will have a small table of contents showing you what to expect from each chapter. I will update as I update my story:**

_**chapters 1-2: general MWPP era**_

_**chapter 3: general MWPP era; humor**_

Fear. It suffocated him. He could barely breath under the immense pressure it allocated. His lip hurt from biting it.

Peter knew that he was supposed to be excited to be stepping onto the Hogwarts Express for his first time, but the thought of leaving all that he knew just made his eyes water.

_It is the only way_, his mother had told him. _You are a wizard, and you must become a great wizard. Know what you are and what you can do. If you don't leave home to learn this, you will revert to the ways of muggles. They try to do what we can do, but their attempts are crude. Do not revert to their ways._

But even as Peter repeated his mother's words in his mind, he could not bring his face to form the smile apparent on all the other student's faces, or his eyes to show the emotion that the other students' revealed. However, he took a deep breath and walked onto the train. He quickly found an empty compartment and sat in the corner.

"Mind if I join you?" a voice asked from the doorway.

Peter turned to see a boy no older than himself with messy dark hair and brown eyes. Peter gave a slight nod and the boy sat down.

"Hi, I'm James," the boy began. "What's your name?"

"Peter."

"First year?"

"Yeah."

"Me too. I'm really excited. I hope I'm in Gryffindor."

"Why?"

"I dunno. I've just heard good things about Gryffindor."

"Yeah, Dumbledore was in Gryffindor."

"Yeah."

An awkward silence followed but it was soon broken by James.

"Oh, no."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Hey, James?"

"Yes?"

"Who is that woman jumping and waving at the train? I sort of feel bad for her kid."

"That's my mum."

"Oh, sorry."

"No, it's fine. She tends to do that a lot. I get used to it."

"O, well, my mum is pretty bad too. When I was eight she took me into the lady's lou with her, because she said that she couldn't leave me outside alone."

"Ooh, Peter! I feel for you, mate."

"But my mum's gotten better. Really hasn't done anything of the sort since. I think my dad talked to her."

At that moment a small boy with brown hair walked through the doorway. "Mind if I take a seat?"

"Yeah, sure," James replied. "I'm James and this here's Peter."

"I'm Remus."

Peter, although a few moments ago quite talkative, suddenly became quite again.

"Are you both first years?"

"Yeah. You?" James replied.

"Yeah."

"So, Peter, you excited to get to Hogwarts?" Remus asked, aware of Peter's shyness.

"Umm… I guess."

"I'm nervous too," Remus replied.

Peter smiled, liking this boy who seemed to understand him.

The boys jerked as the train began to chug forward. At that moment, all three tuned to see another boy leaning against the frame of the door to the compartment, breathing heavily.

"You okay, mate?" James asked.

"Yeah… had to run… to get to train… before it left," the boy panted.

"Here sit down." Remus gestured towards a seat next to Peter. Peter scooted over. The three waited a few moments expectantly for the fourth to speak.

"Sorry, about that. I'm Sirius, by the way."

"James."

"Remus."

"Peter."

"I saw you running to the train," said James. "Quite funny."

"Well, why didn't you do anything? No one else saw me."

"Ah, well I knew you would make it. You're pretty fast."

Remus laughed. "James, you're quite terrible, you know."

Peter laughed. "That's really funny."

Sirius pretended to be offended, but a smile showed through his eyes. Peter, really very amused, laughed so hard that he fell off his seat. This caused the other three to burst out laughing as well.

Suddenly a redheaded girl appeared in the doorway. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then, seeing the sight of the four laughing boys in front of her, closed her mouth and walked away muttering, "Boys."

At this Sirius and Remus began to laugh harder. However James simply stared at the space where she used to be, a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth. None of the boys noticed a blushing Peter in the corner of the compartment, completely entranced by the three outgoing boys and the angel who just walked in.

**Author's note: So, how'd you like it? It was my first fanfic, excluding my oneshot. I'm going to try to update as often as possible, but if you don't review I won't update because I won't know if you like it. So… you know what that means… review! Because, honestly, I won't continue if you don't. And something to think about as you review: what situations should I write about? They should preferably happen during the marauder's seven years at Hogwarts, but after they graduate is ok too. Just so you know, I reply to all of my reviewers and try to review one of their stories. And if you want to drop me a comment about my long-winded author's note, that's fine. Remember to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own none of the following except the plot. **

"Whoa, this place is huge."

"I swear I saw something weird in that lake!"

"What's happening now?"

The first years were crowded around a gigantic door, waiting. Some knew that they were about to be sorted. Others only knew that the next day they were going to become utterly, hopelessly lost.

Peter fell into the latter category, only differing in that he was sweating. And blushing. And stuttering. Yes, Peter was in fact talking. And although he was obviously extremely nervous, he managed to hold a conversation with his three new friends. Because he knew that he was better off than someone else. And in comforting that someone else, he was persistently reminding himself that at least he wasn't in that someone else's position.

"Well, maybe they're not sorting us now," Peter hopefully supplied.

"I know they are. Mum told me that they would as soon as we got to the castle," Sirius replied, his mouth contorted in apprehension, dread showing through his eyes.

"Sirius," Peter asked, "Why are you so worried about the sorting?"

Sirius bit his lip. "I need to be in Slytherin."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked uncomprehendingly.

"My whole family was in Slytherin. To them, that's everything. I don't want to find out what they'll do to me if I don't get in." Sirius quickly inhaled and opened his eyes wide as a new thought occurred to him: "What if I'm in Gryffindor?"

Remus tried to comfort his friend. "Sirius, it will turn out how it turns out. You can't escape it."

James had heard of the Blacks. He knew everything wouldn't be okay if Sirius wasn't in their house. So he didn't say it would. He didn't want to lie. He simply put a firm reassuring hand on Sirius' shoulder. When Sirius looked up at him, James didn't smile, instead he held Sirius' gaze until Sirius offered a slow, grave smile

Remus smiled in return. He knew about fate and its inevitability, but he wasn't about to tell his friends how. Not yet. Not yet.

Peter offered a small smile, seemingly understanding. However, Peter was anything but comprehending. _No_, he thought to himself, _they're wrong. They must be. There are always choices, aren't there? _

At that moment, the red head from the train walked by the four boys. James broke out of Sirius' gaze, to yell at her, "Hey! What's your name?"

The red head turned on her heal to face James. "Lily."

"Well, I'm James."

"Yea, I saw you on the train." Lily pursed her lips. "Acting quite immature."

"Hey!" James yelled in retort. "I was not being immature. You are so full of—"

"That will be quite enough!"

James turned to see an older woman wearing green robes and a black pointed hat. Her face was lined with the early formations of wrinkles. At the moment she was pursing her lips and giving James a rather stern glare. He shot an accusing glance at Lily. She returned his gesture with a smirk. James scowled and looked at the ground.

"Not immature…" Lily muttered to herself. "Well then, I wonder why he got so riled up when I told him he was."

The older woman then looked up at the crown of first years and quickly stated, "I am Professor McGonagall. You will be following me to be sorted." She then turned around and opened both of the grand doors behind her. She led the first years into the Great Hall, between four long tables, paying no attention to their awed faces and audible intakes of breath.

James' eyes shown and his face formed an open-mouth smile as he watched the excitement in the Great Hall. Remus, however, was completely entranced by the ceiling. It appeared to be the night sky. He watched as the candles floated above the student's heads in the midst of the swirling ceiling. Sirius simply eyed the old black hat sitting on a stool. Peter's eyes darted around the Great Hall, trying to take it all in. A slow smile spread across his face. Then his eyes came to rest on the old black hat. His smile disappeared.

Suddenly the hat started to move. A sort of mouth and eyes were formed out of the black material and the hat began to sing:

_Four noble houses unalike,_

_Not unbeknownst by me._

_Listen closely to my song,_

_And you shall surely see._

_If deep with in your mind I find_

_Intelligence to the highest degree_

_And a potent yearning to know _

_Then Ravenclaw you should be_

_If your moral convictions reign,_

_With bravery in 'n out of war,_

_And valor for a prize or none, _

_Then you belong in Gryffindor,_

_If you're kind while composed, _

_And as a friend you will be true,_

_If ever loyal 'til all has ended, _

_Then in Hufflepuff I place you._

_Or if you are ambitious,_

_Ever devious to achieve._

_If you place yourself above all else,_

_Then Slytherin, save I misperceive._

_So don't be alarmed in anyway_

_As I'm placed upon your head,_

_For you will do the greatest things_

_In the house to which you will be wed._

Professor McGonagall had opened the scroll and was now reading off of it. "Ackers, Devin."

A small girl emerged from the crowd. She nervously walked to the stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head.

"Hmm… HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table cheered.

"Ashford, Jeffery."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Sirius Black clasped his hands together and squeezed as hard as he could.

"Bath, Madison."

"GRYFFENDOR!"

At the mention of his family's house's rival, Sirius' eyes opened wide in fear.

"Black, Sirius."

"Hmm…" the hat said out loud.

_Please, _Sirius thought, _put me in Slytherin_.

"Another Black…"

_Slytherin, Slytherin, Slytherin._

"Oh I've seen many of them, but you… you're a…"

_Not Gryffindor, not Gryffindor._

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"What? I can't be in—"

"Sirius Black!" Professor McGonagall said sharply. "Get off the stool and sit at your house table!"

Sirius reluctantly got off the stool and walked down the stairs to the Gryffindor table. He knew his parents would not be pleased at all.

"Bowne, Aubrianna."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Cudney, Lorin."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Dillingham, Bradley."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Evans, Lily."

James Potter turned at the mention of Lily's name. He glared at her as he thought of being reprimanded on his first day by Professor McGonagall. It was too bad that Lily was pretty, because James decided that he did not like her. At all.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius groaned as Lily hoped off the stool and almost skipped towards the table that he was being forced to sit at.

"Lamport, Charlene."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Lupin, Remus."

Remus took a deep breath and walked towards the stool. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind as Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Remus smiled and walked towards Sirius. Sirius gave a huge smile back.

Peter stood among the mass of first years. He knew that he needed to be in Gryffindor. He needed to be with his friends. He waited through "Morgan, Rea", "Ockley, Burt", and "Pennant, China" until finally…

"Pettigrew, Peter."

_You could put me wherever, but, please, I'd… I'd rather be with my friends…_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Peter jumped off his stool and practically ran towards the Gryffindor table.

"Potter, James."

James sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall had not even put the hat fully onto James' head when it yelled...

"GRYFFINDOR!"

James smiled so hard that his cheeks hurt. He walked over to join his friends at the Gryffindor table.

**Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this! You know what I'm going to say… review! The more you review the more I write. I think that's fair. I also want to remind you that if every one of you decides to leave the reviewing to someone else, no one will review, and I won't write! So review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Characters, setting, some parts of the plot, ect. are owned by J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros., not me. I wish I was rich, famous, and British, but unfortunately I'm not (though I have a lovely British Beta who makes this fic seem British).**

Peter was overwhelmed by the feast in front of him. Again and again he would take a slice of pork, or a chicken leg, or mashed potatoes off of the platter only to watch another one appear in the same spot. Overwhelmed by the food, he was oblivious to Sirius chewing his lip. It would have bled, had Remus not intervened.

"Sirius, mate, you haven't eaten a thing," Remus told him, a worried expression on his face.

Sirius chewed his lip farther.

James tried a different approach. "What's it taste like?"

Sirius paused and faced James. "What do you mean?"

"Your lip," James specified. "What does it taste like?"

"Not good," Sirius replied.

"Like chicken?" Peter eagerly asked.

Sirius shot him a weary look. "No, Peter."

"Well," James continued, "in that case, have some food. Guaranteed to taste better."

Sirius gave a half smile. "Well I guess one slice of beef wouldn't hurt."

Remus laughed as Sirius began gorging as much food as possible into his mouth.

"Was o unny?" Sirius asked, some sort of unidentifiable mush dribbling down the corner of his mouth.

OoOOo0O00oOoo0oO

"Sirius, come with me."

"Why, James?"

"Because I need to send a letter to my parents."

"Why?" Remus asked.

"Because I need to tell them what house I'm in."

"Yeah, I'll come," Sirius replied.

"You, too, Remus." James added.

Peter's eyes grew wide as he saw the three leave him. He watched their backs as they walked away, heads tall, eyes forward. Three heads that made eyes turn. And although they were only first years, they're confidence was obvious. He looked around him, at the scrawny girl to his left, at the boy a little down the table offering him a shy smile, and back at the three retreating figures. Peter made a split-second decision. He grabbed five muffins for his usual midnight snack and ran towards the doors.

"Hey, Sirius, James, Remus, wait up!" he called.

Sirius turned. "What?"

Peter stood, hands on knees, huffing, when he realized that he didn't have an excuse to follow them. Quickly, he brought the five muffins out of his oversized pocket. They were to be his midnight snack, a meal that he simply could not go without. It was comfortable, routine, and necessary to end the nightly growling of his rather large stomach. He knew that he would need five to be able to satisfy his stomach enough so he could return to sleep.

Peter held out the muffins and offered them to Sirius. "I brought some muffins for later."

Sirius grabbed two of the muffins and stuffed one into his mouth. James took two as well. Remus looked at the remaining muffin and then looked at Peter. He finally took the last muffin after Peter held it out to him.

It seemed as if Peter would not be having his midnight snack.

Sirius smiled at Peter. "Common. We're going to the owlery."

"Do we know where that is?" Peter asked.

"I'm sure we can figure it out," Remus replied.

"But what if we get caught?"

"That's half to fun," responded James.

"Getting caught?" asked a slightly apprehensive Peter.

"No," answered Sirius with a gleam in his grey eyes, "the thrill."

"Wow, you lot _are_ idiots!" said Remus in mock horror.

"And proud of it!" said Sirius as Remus threw his muffin at him.

Sirius caught it in his mouth and took a bite while saying over his shoulder to Remus, "Cheers mate! Banana-Nut is my favorite"

OoOOo0O00oOoo0oO

After much wandering around the castle, the boys arrived at the owlery two hours later. Remus immediately located for quills, pieces of parchment, and ink, and everybody began writing.

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_I'm in Gryffindor! The hat shouted my name before it even was placed fully on my head._

_I met some friends already. They're all in my house. Their names are Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. They're all funny, even Peter. Although it seems like that one needs to let loose a little. _

_I also wanted to thank you again for the invisibility cloak. I can't wait to show it to my friends!_

_Love,_

_James_

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_It's great being able to come to Hogwarts. I can tell that it will be worth it. Professor Dumbledore made an announcement about the newly planted Whomping Willow tree. It was a bit embarrassing. It's going to be hard not to tell anyone about my condition. I met some new friends today: James, Sirius, and Peter. They're really great. And they really like me. I don't think I'll tell them about my condition. Not yet. I don't want a repeat of what happened last year. Remember? When Eddy found out what I was and told the school, and then I had to transfer? I don't want that happening here. But these kids are nice. And they really like me. I'll just have to get away once a month, but that shouldn't be to hard. By the way, I'm in Gryffindor!_

_Love,_

_Remus_

_Dear Mum,_

_I made some friends today. They're really cool. And now all the other kids think I'm cool! Well, sort of. I'm having a great first day. And, oh, I'm in Gryffindor!_

_Love,_

_Peter_

_Dear Andromeda,_

_Ok, don't freak out. I'm in Gryffindor. Don't tell my mum or dad! They'll kill me! Well, no, but it won't be good when they find out. Oh, no, Bellatrix will probably tell them. I'm in deep shit. I didn't ask to be in Gryffindor. I guess the damn hat knew that I don't agree with mum and dad's views on pure-bloods being elite. I guess I can't pretend that I do anymore. Please don't tell them, Andromeda. I'll tell them myself. Never-mind, I'll simply defend myself after Bellatrix tells them. What's the worst they can do? Well, I'll ask Dumbledore, who doesn't seem half-bad, about the possibility of me staying in Hogwarts over Christmas vacation. Once again I repeat, I am in deep shit._

_Sirius_

Once they all finished their letters, they looked at each other expectantly, each expecting the others to know know how to catch the school owls. Unfortunately, none of them did.

"What do you mean, you don't know how to catch one of these things?" Remus asked.

"Sorry, mate," Sirius replied, "but I've never needed to send a letter before. Well, it can't be too hard. I've seen it done loads."

"So, you gonna do it?" asked Peter.

"Come on, Sirius," James encouraged.

"Alright. How hard can it be?"

Sirius made a grab for one of the owls. Immediately, it flew in the opposite direction, squawking. The heads of the owls turned to face Sirius and all began scrambling around the owlry, trying to escape the madman who had tried to hurt their comrade.

Remus closed his eyes so not to be blinded by the flailing feet and beaks, and felt his way over to a corner of the room that seemed safe from the swarming owls. He opened his eyes, drew his wand that had been kept protectively in the insides of his robes and shouted the only spell he knew, the one that his father had taught him when Remus was having trouble lighting the logs in the fire place with muggle matches. "VENEFLAMMA!"

Red sparks flew from Remus' wand, singing the wing of one owl and directly hitting Sirius in the back. Flames leapt from Sirius' robes. Sirius turned his head to see what hit him.

"I'M ON FIRE!"

Sirius began running in circles around the room, trying to escape the flames, an impossible feat, as the flames were on his back.

Remus blushed and muttered, "I guess I should work on my aim."

Meanwhile Peter, who was on the opposite side of the room from Sirius, was being bombarded by owls are flying as fast as they could away from Sirius.

"Somebody help! The owls are PECKING me!"

"Pecking you my ass! I'm on fire! By the way, how did I get on fire?"

"Umm, mate," James responded. "Remus there set you on fire."

"REMUS! You are very high on my hit list, very high indeed!" Sirius threatened menacingly as he turned to chase Remus.

Remus' eyes opened very wide. "I was just trying to help! It's the only spell I know!"

"Remus," Sirius growled, "didn't you mean to set the owls on fire?"

"My aim was off..." Remus offered weakly.

Sirius began chasing Remus at full speed, while Remus ran in what he guessed to be the opposite direction. It was hard to tell, as when Sirius started running, the owls began swarming away from him.

"Ow!" Remus screamed. "I got an owl talon in my face!"

"Serves you right!" Sirius screamed back.

"Thanks, guys!" Peter yelled above the screeches of the owls and the flapping of wings. "The owls aren't pecking me any more!" The owls had flown to the opposite side of the room to get away from Sirius. _Wait_, Peter thought to himself, _if the owls are on the opposite side of the room, that must mean Sirius is--_

"Oof! Sirius," Peter screamed. "You ran into me!"

"Calm down, mate," Sirius replied. "I'm right here you know. You don't have to scream."

"Ow, Sirius, you elbowed me," Remus said.

"Remus! I'm not done with you!" Sirius yelled in reply. "I'm going to set you on fire." Sirius began running backwards in hope of hitting Remus with the flames on his back.

"Sirius!" James called from the side of the room. "When Remus fell on you he stiffed out the flames!"

"Figures..." Sirius mumbled.

"Now, as for this business about catching an owl..." James said to himself. He stood, watching the owls. He would have to be more clever than Sirius. He would have to have a plan.

"There!"James had spotted the owl whose wing had been singed by the flames from Remus' spell. It was flying slower than the others. James ran up to it and grasped it. "I caught an owl!"

The other crowded around him, watching in awe the owl struggling in James' hand.

"Wow," Peter commented, "the school owls are feisty."

"Aren't they just," James replied.

It was Remus who noticed it first, "Umm... James..."

"Yeah?"

"We only have one owl to carry all four of our letters."

"Nah," Sirius replied, "Owls can carry letters to different locations. They just drop off one letter at a time."

"But, Sirius," Remus responded, "This owl in quite small."

"Stop worrying," said James. "It 'll work."

Remus only made an expression of doubt.

It was soon clear that he had been right as the foursome watched the owl struggle to fly with all four letters attached to his leg. He could only fly up about four inches before he was pulled back down to the table by the weight of the letters.

Peter was the first to state the obvious: "I don't think this will work."

"Whatever makes you think that?" James asked sarcastically.

Peter was quick to respond: "Well, you see the owl is being weighed down by the letters, and can't--"

"I know," James interrupted darkly.

"Listen, I have an idea," Remus said.

"What?" asked Sirius.

"Well..." Remus replied hesitantly. "We could send out the most important of our letters now, as it seems that this owl can only carry one, and come back tomorrow to send the rest when our owls have been unpacked."

"I don't really like that idea." Sirius stated.

"Well," Remus snapped, "So you have a better one?"

"No," admitted Sirius.

"So," James began, "Who has the most important letter?"

"I think you do," said Peter. "Because you were the one who wanted to come up here in the first place." The others had to admit that this was true. After James' letter was sent, they all trudged back down the stairs.

When they entered the Great Hall, a few students looked up from their plates. Most of the students had retired to bed, and the first years had been ordered to follow the prefects to their houses. The foursome understood that they now needed to find their house, and promptly left to look for it. As they left the Great Hall, they attracted the attention of the remaining students, for everybody knew that as first years, they would become hopelessly lost, yet they projected confidence. And together they left in search of Gryffindor.

OoOOo0O00oOoo0oO


End file.
